After waiting for half an hour, just as Eleanor had said, a strange and oppressive pressure suddenly descended from the top of the Holy Demon Prison Tower.

  In an instant, it swept across the surrounding area. The faces of the apprentices who had been watching turned pale one by one, their bodies instinctively tensing.

  "What kind of power is this! I feel like a thousand-pound boulder is pressing down on me. I can barely breathe!"

  "It's the innate pressure of the Demon at the top! It doesn't just affect the body, it gnaws at our minds as well. It's terrifying!"

  Some were completely pale, their eyes filled with pain. The Demon's mental assault felt like countless needles stabbing their brains, making their heads throb.

  Many of them had originally intended to attempt the climb, but now, merely standing on the outer perimeter of the tower, they were already tormented by the pressure, let alone approaching the tower itself.

  After struggling for a short while, they began crying out in complaint, supporting each other as they staggered backward, retreating from the area of influence around the Holy Demon Prison Tower.

  The once lively scene gradually emptied. Only the top talents from the four academies remained, standing firmly before the tower with calm expressions.

  They were all Intermediate Mages who had already circulated their magic to construct defenses against the pressure. To them, this level of pressure was nothing more than a warm-up before climbing the tower.

  Eleanor's gaze swept over Evelyn, confirming that her aura was stable before turning to the group and speaking in a solemn tone:

  "All right, the pressure has reached its peak. Enter the tower."

  The apprentices nodded in unison, forming magical shields around themselves, and then stepped into the first floor of the Holy Demon Prison Tower.

  …

  Meanwhile, Allen was leisurely tending to the flowers cultivated by Eleanor.

  Since Eleanor was leading the team to the Holy Demon Prison Tower today, and Evelyn was accompanying her, the courtyard was left empty, leaving Allen alone in the quiet.

  After watering the flowers, Allen returned to his room, intending to study some Holy Light magic, when he suddenly heard a strange sound.

  It was sharp and obscure, extremely grating, making him feel uneasy all over.

  Allen snapped his head toward the west side of the academy. The sound came from the direction of the Holy Demon Prison Tower.

  "What kind of sound is that? Why is it so awful?" He frowned, a trace of confusion rising in his mind.

  Allen had assumed the sound would fade quickly, so he patiently continued flipping through his books. But after an hour passed, the noise had not weakened.

  On the contrary, it became more distinct, like someone was shouting directly in his ear, disturbing him and making it impossible to focus.

  Left with no choice, he got up and prepared to investigate toward the west.

  However, along the way, Allen noticed something unusual. The apprentices he passed by all appeared normal.

  None of them showed signs of annoyance or confusion, as if they had not heard the grating noise at all.

  He paused to observe for a moment and even deliberately spoke to a passing student. The response was completely normal; the student seemed entirely unaware of the sound.

  Allen scratched his head, suddenly understanding. This sound could probably only be heard by him. Most likely, it was because of his Demon King identity that he could perceive a sound ordinary people could not.

  "Only I can hear it? No, I can't go recklessly."

  He thought to himself: if he moved toward the sound and someone noticed something unusual, exposing his Demon King identity would be far too risky.

  Allen turned and returned to his room, forcing himself to ignore the increasingly clear noise. He picked up his books again, attempting to concentrate on study.

  But the strange sound lingered in his mind, growing sharper the more he tried to ignore it.

  Finally, he lay on his bed, closing his eyes to rest, yet the sound persisted. Clearly, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

  By midnight, Allen could no longer hold himself together. The strange sound had been haunting him all day, showing no sign of stopping.

  "Damn it! It's the middle of the night and I can't get any peace. When will this end!"

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As the Demon King, he did not need sleep to restore his mind, yet in his previous life as a normal human, severe insomnia had tormented him for over ten years.

  The pain of tossing and turning, with his mind filled with incessant noise, remained etched in his memory.

  After crossing over as the Demon King, his immense magical power finally allowed him to sleep peacefully.

  This rare tranquility was something he cherished deeply. It was also why this situation made him even more intolerant.

  The sound echoed deep within his mind, like countless insects gnawing at his nerves.

  No matter how he used his magic to block it, he could not dispel it, making it impossible to calm his mind and fall asleep.

  The familiar torment of insomnia returned, carrying memories of suffering from his past life, driving him to the edge of madness.

  Allen clawed at his hair, taking a deep breath to calm his anger, but the sound in his mind only grew clearer.

  The next moment, he slammed the solid wood desk with a force that made it tremble slightly.

  "Damn it! I can't take it! I absolutely cannot take it!"

  Through gritted teeth, he dashed toward the western side of the academy.

  Meanwhile, inside the Holy Demon Prison Tower, the tower climbing competition had reached a fever pitch.

  The Demon's pressure grew more terrifying with each layer, and the resistance of each floor became increasingly formidable.

  The geniuses from the four great academies began to spread out in ranking.

  Some, drained of mental strength, were forced to retreat in frustration. Others, relying on intricate magical defenses, struggled to reach the middle layers.

  Only a few of the top-tier talents broke through the layers of obstacles and reached the higher floors, pressing on toward the summit.

  Although the situation inside the tower could not be seen directly, a giant screen stood in the central square outside, displaying the current floor and ranking of each climber in real time. Every change in position was clearly visible.

  The crowd gathered around the screen, their eyes fixed on the figures, murmuring and commenting in a tense atmosphere.

  "What exactly is Valerius capable of? He has already reached the thirteenth floor!"

  A Radiant Magic Academy apprentice pointed to the top of the screen in disbelief.

  "Evelyn is only on the eleventh floor, two floors behind already!" Another apprentice frowned, worry evident in his voice.

  At the top of the screen, golden runes clearly displayed: Valerius, thirteenth floor, Ninth-tier Intermediate Mage, Blaze Light Academy.

  Right below him was another genius from Blaze Light Academy, Felix, twelfth floor, Ninth-tier Intermediate Mage, Blaze Light Academy.

  "Oh my god! Felix is this strong too? Is Blaze Light Academy going to take both first and second this time?"

  The crowd erupted in commotion, many faces filled with shock.

  "Felix? Isn't he the one who publicly insulted Samuel earlier?"

  An apprentice who knew the backstory ground his teeth and said,"If Samuel were here, they wouldn't dare flaunt themselves on the screen!"

  The apprentices of Radiant Magic Academy all wore grim expressions, their clenched fists betraying their inner anxiety.

  They watched as the two from Blaze Light Academy occupied the top spots, their own apprentices falling far behind, helpless to intervene.

  All they could do was silently pray that Evelyn could withstand the pressure, catch up quickly, and protect the honor of Radiant Magic Academy.

  The apprentices from Frostveil Academy and Dawnspire Academy watched coldly, both hoping Blaze Light Academy would suppress Radiant Magic Academy while also wishing their own apprentices could rise to the occasion.

  "This time, our academy only has Evelyn and Leah present. The others, though their magic levels are not low, still fall short compared to the four top prodigies of the academy."

  "If there were two people to hold back the ones from Blaze Light Academy, Evelyn wouldn't have to struggle so much to catch up alone."

  "Damn it! And of all times, the Holy Demon Prison Tower opens now, Samuel is in secluded meditation, and Cade is away on a mission. There's no way they can make it back!"

  "It's exactly because they are absent that Blaze Light Academy is taking advantage of the situation. Otherwise, how could Radiant Magic Academy have fallen into this passive chase?"

  The apprentices discussed among themselves, voices full of dissatisfaction.

  At the same time, those who had been forced to quit the tower climb due to overexertion of magic also gathered in front of the screen. The moment they saw the rankings, their expressions turned serious.

  "The thirteenth floor! Valerius actually reached the thirteenth floor. The Demon pressure up there must be terrifying!"

  They had all personally experienced the pressure on the lower floors of the tower. The dual torment on both mind and body was unforgettable, and the higher floors, far exceeding the lower ones, were unimaginable.

  "After the seventh floor, every step upward increases the Demon's pressure geometrically. Each step consumes almost all our magical energy. Climbing one floor is like risking half our lives!"

  "All of us are Ninth-tier Intermediate Mages, yet the gap is so huge. We can barely break through the eighth floor, while he stands firmly on the thirteenth!"

  The apprentices nodded in agreement, faces full of frustration. They could not imagine what it would be like to be on the thirteenth floor, tortured by the pressure to the point that standing upright might be impossible, let alone climbing higher.

  As they sighed, the screen suddenly flickered and the rankings changed again. Evelyn, previously in third place, had successfully broken through the twelfth floor's pressure!

  An eruption of cheers broke out among the apprentices from Radiant Magic Academy. The emotions they had been holding back for so long finally found release.

  "It's Evelyn! She's caught up!"

  They waved their fists, eyes fixed tightly on the screen, hope rekindling in their hearts.

  Nearby, Eleanor watched the ranking changes on the screen and could not help but sigh softly. Standing beside her were two men and a woman, each wearing robes marked with their academy's emblem, the team-leading elders from the three academies who had just arrived.

  Valen from Blaze Light Academy noticed Eleanor's expression and asked:

  "Eleanor, what's wrong? Evelyn is your apprentice, and yet seeing her rank rise, you look worried instead of happy."

  His tone was calm, but there was a subtle trace of probing in his eyes.

  Eleanor was about to explain when the woman beside her, Eileen, smiled and interrupted:

  "Valen, you worry too much. Eleanor has trained an apprentice like Evelyn, of course she is deeply pleased. How could she be unhappy?"

  "This child grows more impressive the more I see her. Not only is her magical talent exceptional, but her temperament is steady and resilient. Anyone who has such an apprentice would naturally be proud."

  Eileen paused as if remembering something, then looked at Eleanor and asked:

  "Eleanor, I heard you recently took in a new male apprentice named Allen. The tower climb competition is so important this time, why isn't he here participating?"

  "You've always been selective, taking only Evelyn. I assume the new apprentice must have been chosen with extreme care, and surely he must be extraordinarily gifted."

  "If he were here, he might even help Evelyn share the burden."